A writer for a national magazine is looking for experts in Wisconsin who she can interview for advice on how small businesses can enter the world of retailing.
She called my good friend Tom Beug of The Summit Group in Milwaukee yesterday, and he emailed me asking if I know anybody. He’ll be talking with her later today, so email him immediately and give him your contact information.
Notice that Tom, an expert in organizational development, didn’t just say to her, “Sorry, I can’t help you.” He appealed to all the other consultants in The Summit Group, of which I’ve been a member for more than 10 years. If he can provide just one or two names of good sources, he’ll look like the hero. And she’ll probably put his name and contact information into her Rolodex—and maybe even interview him the next time she needs an expert in organizational development.
In my “Special Report #49: 17 Ways to Build Valuable Relationships with Media People,” one of my tips is to provide other sources for stories:
Remember, your Number One goal when contacting a journalist is to make their job easy. If you give them four contacts instead of one, that means they don’t have to spend a lot of time hunting down three more people to call and interview. If one of those three people is on the opposite side of an issue you feel strongly about, let the journalist know. That will make for a great story, or a great TV or radio show.
The next time a journalist calls you for an interview, and you’re not the type of expert the writer is seeking, find someone who can help. Email me and I’ll include the media lead here, or in my ezine, “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week.”
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